In 2011, according to the American Orthopedic Society 45 Million Children are involved in Organized Sports. On an annual basis 2.5 million suffer injuries (almost 6%). Many of those injuries will have life long lasting effects. A Philadelphia Hospital reported Youth Sports related injuries increased by 400%, in one year. According to the US Product and Safety Commission Report from 1991 to 1998 Sports related injuries, among Baby Boomers, age 35 to 54, increased 33%. In 1998 the cost of 1 million sports related injuries to baby boomers was $18.7 billion. In 2011 injuries in youth and teen organized school sports was 3.5 million per year. Foot and Ankle injuries account for ⅓ of the annual injuries due to youth sports.
During activity the pressure exerted on the human heel is 3 times the individual's body weight. With increase in organized sport (NCAA team Sports) the amount of time each week is approximately 20 to 30 hours of practice and play. The American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society recommends that sport shoes should be replaced after 300 to 500 miles of running and 300 hours of aerobic exercise. Therefore, on the college level, athletes should be replacing their shoes every 2.5 to 3 months, totaling 4 times per year. For athletes competing year round in leagues or on a semi pro schedule, should be replacing their shoes a minimum of 5×/year. Various sports on the NCAA level I have worked with (e.g. Harvard Tennis) replace their shoes every 3 to 4 weeks.
In a random Foot Health Survey performed in 2013, 61% of participants are experiencing some form of foot pain or injury; 9.5% are in the ball of the foot; 9.5% are in the arch of the foot; 14% of the issues are in the ankle; and 28% of the injuries are in the heel.
One possible explanation for the foot injuries is the design of shoes themselves. The heel portions of the shoes for the athletes have no protection to prevent heels from injury. This may be because the shoes lacked padding between the insole and the foam rubber ankle padding in the heel of the shoe. In many shoes, the space between the insole and ankle padding is only constructed with a lining that covers a non-yielding heel cup made of hard plastic. The design of the heel cup allows the heel to have excursion and move freely. However, the space also allows the heel to move to the point of repetitive contact with the hard non-yielding heel cup of the shoe; thus causing the numerous injuries, such as blisters, calluses, heel fissures, friction burns, infections, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and bursitis.
Many over-the-counter remedies are ineffective, wear down easily, or are unreliable because they are built to be removable and replaceable. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved or augmented heel cup insert device for shoes that helps mitigate, prevent, or remedy foot injuries.